Discover how to make ‘manly’ truffles this Valentine’s Day

So on Valentine’s Day in Japan, it’s tradition for women to give the men chocolates, rather than the other way around. But it’s not only their partners who get gifts, chocolates are giving to male friends, colleagues and relatives too! Equality aside, I just wouldn’t be happy about going to so much effort and not even getting a card back! But anyway, maybe that’s just me. So I’ve been asked by the Japanese food company www.yutaka.london to copy this tradition and create some ‘manly’ truffles.

But it turns out males have a different palate to women, so these truffles have a bit of a twist:

Miso Caramel – think salted caramel with a twist

Cinnamon Curry – a spicy truffle with crunchy, toasted panko

Yuzu Soy – yuzu and soy give this a sweet and salty appeal

Shaoxing Wine – a boozy hit

Sushi Ginger – chocolate & ginger with the surprising tang of pickle

The Truffle Recipe

Truffle ingredients – makes approximately 30 – 36

200g dark good quality chocolate

60ml double cream

80g unsalted butter

Truffle cases

Method for all truffles

In a double saucepan (or a Pyrex bowl in a saucepan), place chocolate, butter and cream. Heat through slowly until smooth whilst whisking. Remove from heat and divide into 5 equal portions, adding the various flavourings to each individual portion as below. Place in the fridge to set – overnight if possible.

Filling & coating ingredients

Miso caramel sauce filling

75g sugar

25ml water

50ml double cream

1 tbs Yutaka Miso

100g milk chocolate – gently melted for coating

Pink salt crystals for sprinkling on the top

Miso caramel flavouring method

Put sugar and water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir and leave on a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until caramel in colour. Carefully add double cream (it will hiss a little) and whisk whilst off the heat, add miso paste and whisk thoroughly until smooth. Add 2 tbs of miso caramel sauce to the remaining truffle mixture. The remainder of the sauce saved and used over ice cream for a delicious dessert.

Yuzu Ponzu

Yutaka Shaoxing rice wine flavouring

2 tbs Yutaka Shaoxing rice wine warmed

Chocolate vermicelli for coating

Yutaka Pickled Sushi Ginger flavouring

2 tbs chopped Yutaka sushi ginger

Cocoa for coating

To finish the truffles

Remove the various truffle mixes from the fridge and, with a teaspoon, scoop out a goodly amount. Roll into a ball and place on a plate (remembering to keep the various flavours separate) and continue until all the mixture has been used.

Roll the ginger truffles in cocoa and place in truffle cases. Roll the Yuzu Ponzu in flaked milk chocolate, the katsu in the toasted panko and the rice wine truffles in vermicelli and return to fridge.

Using a double boiler (or Pyrex bowl in a saucepan) melt the milk chocolate over a low heat and, when removed from the heat & cooled slightly, spoon over miso truffles until coated. You can use a cocktail stick pushed carefully into a truffle to help you turn and coat with the chocolate. This needs patience! Leave them to set on a plate. Sprinkle a couple of pink salt crystals on the top.

Unfortunately, there weren’t any truffle cases in Sheffield Asda, so I had to improvise and cut the truffles into squares instead. But I can confirm the caramel and curry flavours are AMAZING. So even if you haven’t got a boy to eat all your chocolates, treat yourself or your friends and make these truffles with a difference!

What do you think of these flavours? Do you cook with traditional Japanese sauces and ingredients? Please let me know in the comments!